3.5 Warlock patron relationship questions

[schreier]

I am very happy with my warlock character history, and am trying to understand the patron relationship and any impact it has on power level.

His mother was dying in childbirth, and prayed to Selûne to protect her child. She sent down her seven shards (a group of planetars - https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Shards), which each reached forward to touch the child immediately after his birth. It left a mark (Selûne's holy symbol) on his chest and was the source of his power.

Should his "patron" be Selûne or a planetar or all seven planetars?

How does the pact work? In this case, his mother made the pact and Selûne responded. What powers does it grant? Is it from a universal source? From Selûne? Is the power "stored" outside and accessed or is it somehow internalized by the warlock?

If a planetar (or all 7) are the source - is there a limit to the power being granted? Planetars are only 14HD, CR16 -- It seems strange that a warlock's power could exceed its patron's power (like a level 20 warlock for example).

If the warlock goes to other planes (particularly other primes - like Eberron or Krynn or Oerth), does it lose access? I know that, after the second sundering, Halruaa went to Abeir and many warlocks lost access to their magic - trying to figure out how that worked.

[Khedrac]

In 3.5 warlocks have no need for a patron at all, so mechanically the backstory is irrelevant.

This also means that the character will keep their power whever they go.

At this point your backstory becomes imporant for what it is really for - help on roleplaying the character. You can decide what the real source of your character's power is (though discuss with DM as a backstory involving characters of significance needs DM approval) and also what your character believes the source is - and whether it matters if they are different!

[Troacctid]

Traditionally, the favor of a deity would result in a Chosen or a favored soul, not a warlock. Now, a solar could offer a pact, but that would be done on its own, not on behalf of a deity. So, if you want this story to result in a warlock, here's my suggestion. Warlock pacts can be passed down through bloodlines to the descendants of the original warlock. So, I would say that Selune's blessing activated a latent warlock bloodline that otherwise might have remained dormant. As a result, you are a warlock with no patron, or an unknown patron, and you have the Celestial-Attended Birth background region from Champions of Valor. Pick up Fearless, Luck of Heroes, or Otherworldly as your regional feat (they're all pretty solid generic picks) and you should be good to go! Maybe look into enlightened spirit as a prestige class for later.

[redking]

If a planetar (or all 7) are the source - is there a limit to the power being granted? Planetars are only 14HD, CR16 -- It seems strange that a warlock's power could exceed its patron's power (like a level 20 warlock for example

I'd be cautious about having a very involved patron. Instead, make one of your ancestors servant of said planetar. 1000 years ago the planetar disappeared, and some of your ancestors developed warlock powers in an unspoken pact. What happened to the planetar that it is now able to make warlock pacts? No one knows and neither do you. It's a mystery.

Even though your powers come from the celestial sphere, you are still misunderstood by people that believe that all warlocks are malign. Add Hellfire Warlock levels if you want to ramp up the misunderstandings.

[schreier]

I wasn't planning on having them be too involved - more understanding the limitations. I think it's weird that a CR16 creature could empower a level 20 character for example.

From what I can tell, Warlocks don't touch the weave - do they tap into an abstract "magic" that exists everywhere? Do they tap into their heritage/internal energy given them by a pact? Do they tap into the power of the patron (what happens if their patron is destroyed/weakened/etc?) Is their power impacted by the plane they are on?

My guess is RAW now, fluff who knows ... but just asking if I missed something.

[Tzardok]

I wasn't planning on having them be too involved - more understanding the limitations. I think it's weird that a CR16 creature could empower a level 20 character for example.

From what I can tell, Warlocks don't touch the weave - do they tap into an abstract "magic" that exists everywhere? Do they tap into their heritage/internal energy given them by a pact? Do they tap into the power of the patron (what happens if their patron is destroyed/weakened/etc?) Is their power impacted by the plane they are on?

My guess is RAW now, fluff who knows ... but just asking if I missed something.

In 3.5, a warlock's power comes from the inside. Their soul is changed (you could even say mutilated) to include a wellspring of eldritch energies which they form into their invocations.

As their abilities are spell-like, a Changed Magic trait of a different plane would impact them the same way it would with a classical spellcaster.

I would need to read up on the Weave (has been ages since I touched Forgotten Realms), but IIRC spell-like abilities make use of the Weave and are affected by it like spells. If they don't (or if the rules don't say, or if you think it makes more sense) you could rule that, like psions, warlocks don't rely on the Weave and are unaffected by it.

[Particle_Man]

If you want to go all "fairy tale" about it, have one of the seven shards actually be from a devil disguised as a planetar (maybe a fallen planetar?), thus corrupting the gift to the kid (the kid doesn't have to be evil, but the gift is - fiendish resilience, devil's sight, baleful utterance, etc.).

Let the role-play angst commence!